The Doctor reads TFIOS
by itsbetterwith2
Summary: Curious, the Doctor picks up a book called The Fault in our Stars. Will reading it make him act on his feelings for Rose? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is the second fanfiction I've written! I'm still a newbie at this so please be nice :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or The Fault in our Stars. I will be using VERY FEW quotes from The Fault in our Stars. Not entire paragraphs or pages.**

**This is set just after School Reunion. The Girl in the Fireplace does not happen**

* * *

"I'll see you later Rose"

"You sure Doctor? I'm sure mum won't mind that much if you stayed"

The thought of spending the afternoon listening to Jackie's gossip caused the Doctor to grimace. "Err...I'll pass"

"Fine, see you later Doctor. Now don't you get into any trouble!"

Smiling, she reached up and gave the Doctor a hug, which he happily returned. Feeling daring, Rose gave him a kiss on the cheek before letting go. Suddenly tense, the Doctor stiffly waved and left the apartment.

When the door closed behind him, Rose flopped onto the couch with a groan. Why had she done that? She was such an idiot. She knew the Doctor would never show her how he felt. He made that perfectly clear during the encounter with Sarah Jane.

* * *

Striding out of the Powell estate, the Doctor wore a downcast expression as he recounted the exchange before he left. It was just a peck on the cheek but it reminded the Doctor of how that was as close as he could get with Rose.

"No, I can't be with her like that" he murmured firmly to himself "She's only human...she'll wither and die whilst I live on" he added sadly.

In an effort to distract himself, the Doctor wandered into a busy shopping street and entered into a large bookstore. He quickly immersed himself into some books at random that he'd never read before. He may be 900 years old but there were a lot of books in the world! He couldn't possibly have read them all, especially with all the adventures he was having anyway. After abandoning a cheesy teen fantasy novel halfway, the Doctor spotted a display of blue, white and black.

An entire table of blue (unfortunately not TARDIS blue) books stood out from the dull grey interior of the store with a giant cloud shaped sign hanging above them from the ceiling.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

JOHN GREEN

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Curious, the Doctor approached the table, picked up a book and briefly glanced at the blurb. A cancer story. Slightly deterred by the implied sad and tragic nature of the book, the Doctor put down the novel and began to walk away.

As he was making his way to the exit of the store, he was bombarded by yet _another_ stand with the very same books. For some reason, being attacked by the book again somehow caused the Doctor to pick one up and make his way to the checkout instead. Maybe the book was worth reading.

Noting that it was time to go back to the Powell estate, the Doctor dropped the book onto the counter and grinned widely at the cashier. The grin was not returned by the bored teenage employee unfortunately.

After using his psychic paper to pay for the book (which he only felt slightly guilty for), the Doctor picked up Rose again and with a gleeful shout, he flew the TARDIS into the time vortex.

* * *

After an awful lot of running on the planet of Satifern 7, the Doctor and Rose stumbled into the TARDIS exhausted.

"Did you see his face Rose? Priceless!" Exclaimed the Doctor excitedly.

Giggling whilst gasping for breath, Rose said "Doctor, I'm spent! I'm going to bed alright?"

Pouting dramatically at the prospect of no more adventures for at least 8 hours, the Doctor nodded.

After giving Rose a tight hug, he turned to the console to flip some levers and switches. After ensuring all the settings were right, he ventured into the library for some entertainment whilst Rose slept. While browsing for a book the Doctor remembered the book he had bought a week ago.

"What was it called again? The Salt in our Studs? No wait that's the 60th century holo-book. Oh! The Fault in our Stars that's right!"

Grabbing the book from the fiction shelf, the Doctor sank into the couch and began to read.

_Late in the winter of my seventeenth year..._

* * *

**REVIEW PLEASE! What do you think of the story so far? **

**Next chapter coming soon!_  
_**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hi! New chapter! It's quite short, and I'm sorry about that, I'm very straight-to-the-point so there isn't much writing. Also I felt that the rest should be in the next chapter.  
****The next chapter is PROBABLY the last chapter :/ It's been nice writing this one. Maybe I'll write another ten/rose fic after this. It's kinda fun.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or The Fault in our Stars**

**WARNING: TFIOS SPOILERS**

* * *

_I do, Augustus._

_I do._

The novel was slowly lowered to the Doctor's lap. Reaching up, he rubbed at his eyes. Obviously because they were itchy. Of course he wasn't crying. Time Lords don't cry! Sniffling non-stop (because it was err...cold), the Doctor stared at the blank space in front of him, trying to make sense of what he had just read.

"Wow.

That was tragic." He thought, attempting to make light of it but failing miserably.

"But was it really? Was this heartbreaking book utterly and completely tragic and sad?" The Doctor wondered.

Augustus Waters had passed away. So quickly. Leaving Hazel so soon. Oh yes that was sad. But what was it that she had said?

_You gave me a forever within the numbered days_.

They had spent time with each other. Oh and how happy and blissfully joyful they were when they did. Their lives were cut short, and Augustus didn't have much longer, but that didn't stop them from loving one another unabashedly.

Despite the pain and grief, Hazel was...thankful. Thankful for the time she had with Augustus Waters.

Slowly, the Doctor realised something about him and Rose.

Yes, Rose had a short lifespan compared to him. But he...he loved her.

Oh how he loved her.

She rescued him from the darkness he was shrouded in from the events of the Time War and made him...better. She stopped him from doing merciless and terrible things and forgave him when he felt he didn't deserve any mercy. She was the beautiful and amazing woman who saved him from so so many things. The Autons, Daleks...the list could go on but most importantly, she saved him from himself.

And when the time would come that he would lose her...perhaps the regret of never telling and showing her that he loved her would make the pain worse. No, not perhaps. It would. No doubt about it. But if he did show her...he would have these precious memories to always hold onto. For the rest of his lives.

* * *

The TARDIS hummed, alerting the Doctor that Rose was up and probably ready for another adventure. Jumping to his feet, he bounced out of the library, with five words flooding his mind that he badly wanted to blurt out.

Rose Tyler, I love you.

* * *

**REVIEW PLEASE! What do you think? **

**How do YOU want the story to end? I already have the ending planned but maybe I'll have an alternate ending as well...**

**Next (and most likely final) chapter coming soon! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the wait! I had to think a lot about what I wanted to write in this chapter, even though I knew the ending. But I have written a much longer chapter :)**

**Thank you guests, The Forgetful Wisher, TheDoctorFiona, ItsKid, MagicMythsAndMortals, mel, Angels in the Tardis, Truebluetardis and XxMichelleMikaelsonxX for your lovely reviews! I really appreciate them.**

**This is the last chapter.**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

He wanted it to be done as soon as possible, but also nicely! First thing in the 'morning' (you could never tell in the TARDIS) and a grumpy, just-woken-up Rose Tyler didn't seem like the best time to say those crucial words. But in an incredible stroke of luck, the TARDIS landed in what seemed to be a friendly non-chaotic market planet which didn't seem to scream "TROUBLE".

As Rose wandered excitedly through the jewelry stalls the Doctor dragged behind, frantically thinking of a way to, well, _break the news _to her. His eyes darted around the displays and spotted a stand selling plants- including flowers! Wasn't that what female humans loved or something? The Doctor never really understood their appeal though. A flower's purpose was not to get handed around by life forms as gifts only to be left in a vase till it died!

Oh well. Maybe Rose will like it. Humans like that sort of thing.

And so, as the romantic and tasteful man that the doctor was, he picked out...a bizarre-looking brown petalled flower with dull blue stripes in a pot.

Frankly, it was hideous.

Though, in the Doctor's opinion, he thought it sort of looked like his pinstriped suit. He was pretty chuffed about that. Humming happily, he tucked the little pot plant into his trouser pocket. They were bigger on the inside

As they kept on walking, they wandered into a lonely courtyard away from the busy marketplace. Wild weeds and flowers had pushed themselves out from within the cracks of the paved ground and the sunlight (the planet orbited a star similar to the Earth Sun) lit up the pinks, purples and blues of the plants. Pale, rickety blue benches, faded from the rain and wind, were scattered around the courtyard, It was almost silent other than the distant and faint chatter of the marketplace that lay far from them.

Rose seated herself on a bench, lifted her face into the warm sunlight and smiled at the Doctor.

_She was so beautiful._

The Doctor had been...struggling to find a time to tell Rose during the day. He would always bring out the pot plant halfway out of his pocket when he would be suddenly interrupted by some nearby storekeeper screaming of their wares and would instantly lose his confidence.

But everything at this very moment felt so _perfect_ and he knew.

"I'm going to tell her" he thought.

Rose's vision was suddenly obscured by something being shoved in front of her. Pulling her head back, she managed to see the item.

An ugly brown and blue flower in a pot.

Confused, she lifted her head and saw the carrier of the offending item.

The Doctor, wide eyed and...determined?

"Um, Doctor? What's this?"

"Rose! I-um, uh". His mouth opened and closed like a fish, clearly at loss for words.

He looked so ridiculous Rose began to laugh a little. What she didn't know though, was that hearing the sweet and melodious sound of her laugh was enough to push the Doctor that final step.

"I love you Rose Tyler" he blurted out.

Immediately Rose stopped laughing and stared at him wide eyed. Seeing his flushed (which the a Doctor would later say "Time Lords do not blush!") and nervous face, she realised he was...serious.

Heart beating rapidly, she smiled- possibly the most joyous smile the Doctor had ever seen- and with slightly moist eyes she softly replied,

"I love you too Doctor"

* * *

The Doctor and Rose Tyler ran through time and space in their ("She's not mine. She's ours" the Doctor had declared) bigger-on-the-inside blue box. They ran through mysterious forests, castles, villages, spaceships, galaxies and so much more, always holding hands and wearing the biggest grins on their faces.

The Doctor had never felt so...content and happy. As Rose pointed and marveled at the sight of the glittering jeweled cliff faces, the Doctor gazed down at her, the woman who stole his hearts and smiled, simply seeing her delighted expression.

As they ran, laughed, hugged, kissed (and uh, more) the Doctor never forgot one nagging thought in his mind.

_One day I'll lose her_

But, for now, Rose Tyler was here, with him and he treasured and made the most of every moment he had with this amazing and wonderful human. Meanwhile, the thought, although not forgotten, was buried into the recesses of his mind as he focused on the happiness blooming in his heart as he spent time with her.

* * *

"Well, it could be worse; this lot said they'd give us a lift"

"And then what?" The Doctor asked incredulously.

"I don't know. Find a planet, get a job, live a life, same as the rest of the universe."

Grimacing at the prospect of domestics, the Doctor argued "We'll have to settle down! With a house or something - a proper house with... with, with doors and things - carpets! Me! Living in a house!... Now that, that - that is terrifying"

"We'd have to get a mortgage!"Rose teased.

"No!"

"Oh yes!"

"No, I'm dying, that's it, it is all over"

"It won't be that bad! At least you've got me" said Rose in a softer tone.

"...I promised Jackie I'd always take you back home"

"Everyone leaves home in the end" murmured Rose.

"Not to end up stuck here"

"Yeah, but stuck with you - that's not so bad"

"Yeah?"

"Yes"

Smiling at her words he replied.

"I love you Rose"

Truthfully, the Doctor sometimes wished he could give Rose the domestic life that she may be yearning for, one with a house, a mortgage, doors and windows...a family. But he couldn't, because he was the Doctor, a Time Lord, the Oncoming Storm.

But even though he couldn't give Rose that, their days were filled with joy anyway.

* * *

As they gazed at the majestic, flying creatures, the Doctor felt...compelled to ask something.

Turning to Rose, he asked

"How long are you going to stay with me?"

Gazing back at him, she smiled- with slight, was that...sadness?- and replied

"Forever"

And she closed the distance between them.

* * *

As the gazed up at the starry night, they walked back to the TARDIS, arm in arm.

"You know what, they keep trying to split us up, but they never, ever will"

With a teasing tone, the Doctor said "Never say never, ever"

Smile faltering, she persisted "Nah, we'll always be all right, you and me. Don't you think? Doctor?"

A non-existent pain stabbed at his hearts as he heard this. But as he looked down at their linked arms and heard the cheer and triumphant chatter of the people behind him, he stopped walking and turned to Rose.

"Yea. We'll always be alright"

And as they ran through time and space, he truly believed that.

He thought it would never end.

* * *

That's what he thought. But then came the army of ghosts, then came Torchwood and the war.

And that's when it all ended.

* * *

His grin faltered when Rose's grip began to loosen from the lever.

"ROSE! HOLD ON!" He yelled.

But when her fingers finally slipped and she looked at him with so much sorrow and fear, he painfully realised.

He was going to lose Rose. Today was the day.

But it was too soon! This...was all too soon. He wanted more time, _so much more_ time with her. He wanted to show her 1930s New York, Ancient Rome, the romantic city of Venice, the Sapphire Waterfalls of Midnight, Apalapucia. He wanted to take her to meet Agatha Christie, Shakespeare, Vincent Van Gogh!

But their time had run out.

Oh how ironic.

He was the Time Lord who ran out of time.

* * *

The Doctor kept on travelling through time and space but it was never the same. He had lost the woman he loved. He continued to pick up companions though: the brilliant Martha Jones and the sassy Donna Noble. They were friends he would treasure forever.

Sometimes he took them to places he had wished to take Rose.

Rose Tyler was the great star-crossed lover of his lives. He had been blissfully ignorant of the fact he would one day lose her. With all the danger they were in, it was likely he would lose her soon. But...that didn't matter. What mattered was that he made every minute with Rose Tyler,

_Fantastic._

He wanted more minutes, hours, days, weeks and years with her, he wanted more time than he was likely to get. It broke his hearts when he lost her.

But it was like what that book had said.

He was so thankful for their little infinity. _He wouldn't trade it for the world_.

Rose Tyler gave the Doctor a forever within the numbered days, and for that he was grateful.

* * *

**The End. **

**I hope you enjoyed it.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Thoughts? Feelings?**


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